By Brandon via concealednation.org
An alert and armed Fort Payne, Alabama citizen watched as two men broke into a business and began to remove items through the back door. At that point, the armed citizen decided to get involved. He confronted and then held the two men at gunpoint until police arrived . . .
The two men, Aubery Eugene McBride, 62, of Fort Payne and Jason Scott McBride, 38, of Henagar were arrested and charged with third-degree burglary.
“I would like to thank the citizen for being so observant and contacting the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office about this incident. Even though we don’t ever advise a citizen to put their self in danger we are thankful that he did. The deputies were on scene within seven minutes and were able to make these arrests without incident because of the citizens’ actions,” [Sheriff Jimmy] Harris said in a press release.
This is a good incident to cover because I like to pose the question: Would you have done the same thing?
If it were me, I’d be on the phone with 911 to report the crime, all while keeping an eye on the bad guys. Drawing my firearm for stolen merch? Not likely. I’m not knocking what this armed citizen did, it’s just not for me. I would not have felt that my life was in danger, and that’s that.
I like the way Sheriff Harris handled the PR end of it.
He can’t go around suggesting people put themselves at risk, but he did go on the record as saying he was glad this citizen did.
Myself, I’d need to feel some personal connection to the owner of the property before getting personally involved to that extent.
Ranchers, or rural property owners, in every corner of the country are being confronted with this quandary. Do I deal with it or leave it to the system/authorities? Those preying on your neighbors will arrive at your doorstep. What will you! (not Jesus) do?
It is surprising that he wasn’t charged with “unlawful restraint” or some such trumped up charge. Please note that AZ ranchers apprehending illegals on their property at gun point are being arrested, and several have lost their ranches, for unlawful detention.
Could that be because immigrants are “special persons” to lefties and it’s politically incorrect to hold those “poor souls” accountable for their crimes especially by “evil gun owners”?
I would like to think I would do the same, however I am not sure I would draw my firearm either. My mindset, is if I have to pull out my gun it means someone is going to be shot. Display it yes, but pull it, someone is going to die.
Frank,
I wouldn’t even display it. I would find cover within eyeshot and keep 911 appraised. But never get involved unless it’s my life or the life of someone I care about.
I only plan draw when MY family is affected. Call and watch, be a good witness.
If they decide the take was easy and target my house, game over.
I am only speaking from what I took from the story.
two men burglarizing an unoccupied business.
don’t draw.
two men burglarizing neighbor’s home. unoccupied.
don’t draw.
two men burglarizing occupied business, neighbor’s home.
discretionary…Is me or mine in danger?
yes>proceed no>911
that said, seven minutes is too long to wait for ANY responder in ANY situation. Glad he’s safe and the bad guys are in the pokey. Couldn’t ask for a better ending. Unless it happened to end with Obama losing his job.
I’d say 911 either way…let the police know what’s going on, particularly if you’re about to inject yourself into the situation.
Of course. If able, my wife is designated 911 caller.
She knows to fully advise of the situation. Let the dispatcher know her husband is addressing it, give my description, and notify them that I’m armed. In my drive to work, I pass by our police academy. It doesn’t fill me with hope to see 20 baby-faced 19-year-old kids playing cops and robbers. Give the first responders as much info as possible to avoid poor ballistic judgment.
It is truly sad that you are right Daniel, just call 911 and stay out of it. But in this country it seems no good deed ever goes unpunished. My wife and I discuss scenarios like this all the time. We both agree with you, none of my business and no reason to end up in jail on some brandishing charge. My gun will stay holstered until such time my life, or the life of someone I care about, is threatened. That also means that I wouldn’t get involved with a bad guy shooting up other folk, they’re on their own. And being ex-military, that sits very ill with me. That is the world we live in though.
I don’t care how badly I get sentenced for brandishing – I couldn’t live with myself if I let someone get hurt or killed when I could realistically prevent it at minimal risk to my own life.
YMMV.
I’m sure most of us feel that way in a sense.
I couldn’t live with myself if I went against training, threw myself into a situation that didn’t warrant armed civilian response, and got myself into a world-wrecking ball of wax with my family to bear the brunt of it all.
If no lives are in danger, why put your own in danger?
Even if lives are in danger, if those lives aren’t me or mine, it’s none of my business. There’s a 50/50 chance those lives are gun and freedom hating liberals who would just as soon sue me for saving their life. It suck, but that’s the world they created.
Gman,
I understand and respect your sentiment to stay out of an altercation that doesn’t involve yourself or your family. Having said that, please consider intervening if the victims cannot realistically be armed. This would primarily be children, people with debilitating physical deficits, and moms/dads with a baby or young children.
Hmm, 7 mins response time.
And he sounded proud of it!
Yet another example of “when seconds count “…
We know little about who this person was and his connection with the business. As a business owner for over ten years, I knew all my neighboring business. All of us were armed and if I saw someone unloading my neighbors business, damn straight they’d get drawn on. We have a quick police response around here but there is never a cop around when you need one and I’m not standing around while they drive off and get away. FK that!
If scum bags want to steal, they run the risk of meeting up with someone who means business and I’m not scared one little bit. Besides, I like a good adrenalin rush.
All you others can hide in your houses behind your wives aprons after you called the police, not me.
It’s not about being scared, it’s about the risk vs reward.
To me, holding someone at gun point over property is very low on my priority list. The potential risk (lawsuits being the biggest one to me) is not worth the impact it would have on my life. As a Texan, I am protected by law to use deadly force in protection of property in some instances.
If someone is being assaulted/raped it’s a different matter.
For merchandise, no. 911 call only.
The seven minute response time underscores the problem. The Armed Samaritan was at risk for that entire time, even though he may have felt that he was in control. Seven minutes is a long time to be hanging out there.
No criticism of the Armed Samaritan or the police is intended or should be inferred. Still, if I was in the good guy’s shoes, I’d be asking myself how important my safety was since it took so long for the cavalry to arrive.
Hack writing cliche the played out “edition” edition.
Show us your ‘superior’ writing, hotshot.
Put up or shut up.
See something, do something. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do fvck all.
Kudos to the good guy. He may have saved someones life down the road.
Wait, is that supposed to be time lapse?
How about: “This is your uncle…This is your uncle on meth…Any questions?”
And what does the Good Samaritan do if both criminals are out of their minds on meth and as they move on the good samaritan they say “go ahead and shoot mother-fer “No thanks. With the exception of my wife, daughter and dog there is nothing in my house worth dying or killing for. That goes triple out in the world.
Call 911 from a safer location and try to keep observing the perps and gathering any other possible info; keep the police on the line while doing so. Do NOT approach the perps. They may have confederates inside the building, in a nearby vehicle or BEHIND you, Grasshopper. Or, like L,John says above, what if they’re stoked on crystal or dusted or whatever and decide to come at ya anyway? Sure, blow ’em up, over what, a stolen tee-vee?
Hey Grasshopper; it’s a PROPERTY crime at this point; there is no justification for killing somebody or being killed right now. Make the police do their job.
Don’t. Be. Stupid.
Pull that in most of the northeast (VT, NH, and ME possibly excepted), and the prosecutor will likely send you to prison and give the burglars a slap on the wrist. No thanks. Call the cops and observe. Only draw if you or someone else is in imminent danger.
Fully agree with Dan. 911? Sure. Keep an eye on them and get a license number if they pull out before the cops get there? you bet. Get involved and hold ’em at gunpoint? Not ever, even if it were a friend’s business. The laws are so convoluted and stacked against POTG I’m not sure if what he did would even be legal in my state (PA). What if the guys don’t submit? what if THEY pull and you are in a shootout? and then you have to kill someone? Too many variables for merchandise. I like to keep it simple.
Yeah agree…stolen things are not worth the risk of being shot or having to shoot someone. Outside the possibility of escalating a bad situation and someone getting killed as a result, think of the legal issues if some anti gun DA wanted to make a statement. Observing and calling 911 might be the smartest move.
Surprised the cops did not shot the guy who had the perps covered.
Interesting comments on this post. I’m not pulling my weapon for someone else’s property. I’m on the phone with 911 from a safe distance but no way I’m chancing a gun fight unless my life is in danger.
Having said that I do give props to the guy. It took a good amount of courage to confront the perps.
+1, Dan.
No one is getting hurt… Im not getting involved. Someone will likely die or get seriously injured, time to step in.
I echo the sentiment of other posters. I would record the license plate number, vehicle make/model, and physical description of the suspects. If possible, I would even go so far as considering a way to slow them down or disable their vehicle without them realizing it (as in give them a flat tire). And I would call it in. I would not likely approach the suspects — especially being alone myself. Who knows what armament they may have and whether or not they have additional accomplices that you cannot see. I have no idea what I am stepping into and I have no backup. And responding police may mistake me for one of the suspects.
In the absolute worst case, if police take too long and suspects drive away, you could follow the suspect vehicle in your vehicle and update the police dispatcher on the vehicle’s location in real time so that the police can stop them at another location.
No thanks. I don’t want to be standing around with a firearm in hand pointing at people when police arrive. There is too much risk that police shoot me first and ask questions later. Not over a property crime.
No judgement on Good Samaritan making his choice- he was there, and I wasnt.
But with kids still not grown and on their own, I wont risk my life and income to them,
for property mine or a neighbors…
the bad guy can be walking out the front door with my big screen tv, and
I’d just rather let them have it, than deal with the paperwork, or bad feelings from taking a life.
Taking my kids- or risking hurting them…thats different.
(viking berserker red-eyed rage feeling coming on…)
It depends on the situation so much. Can you tell if there’s someone in there who might be shot if you DON’T intervene? I know that’s a bit of a stretch, but I feel like “it’s just stolen merch” is kind of a stretch, too. I mean you really don’t know what is going on.
I’d say call the police and observe. I have kids to get home to just like you. I’d put my life on the line for others, though, if I could tell it was needed.